SERVES 6

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 (8 ounce) carton chive & onion cream cheese
• 1 tablespoons butter
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 6 slices bacon

1. Flatten chicken to 1/2″ thickness.
2. Spread 3 tablespoons cream cheese over each chicken piece.
3. Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt; roll up.
4. Wrap each with a bacon strip.
5. Place, seam side down, in a greased pan.
6. Bake, uncovered, at 400F for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear.
7. Broil 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
8. If you are making these ahead for future use, freeze these uncooked on a cookie sheet in your freezer. When solid, wrap and put in a ziplock bag or vacuum seal desired quantities.
9. To cook from frozen state, thaw before cooking and follow directions above.

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup natural chunky-style peanut butter
6 cups crispy brown rice cereal
2/3 cup chopped dried cherries or  dried cranberries

Cooking spray

Combine honey and peanut butter in a large pot and heat over medium-low heat until melted, about 2-3 minutes. Add brown rice cereal and cherries and stir to combine until mixture is sticky. Press into a 9 by 13-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Let cool, then chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Cut into 15 (2 1/2 by 3-inch) squares.

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove minced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately

2 russet potatoes, peel and boil in water until soft.
1 head of cauliflower, cut the flowerets off the cauliflower and steam until soft.

Combine potatoes and cauliflower and mash together.  Add butter, milk, salt and pepper.

Serves: 4 For the salsa:

4 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped or 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno chili pepper, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 avocado

For the chicken:

1/2 cup non-fat, plain yogurt

1/2 small red onion

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 to 6 ounces each

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions

For the salsa:

1. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, red onion, pepper and cilantro.

2. Chop the avocado and sprinkle it with 2 tablespoons of lime juice to keep it from browning. Add the avocado and remaining lime juice to the bowl and toss to combine.

(This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.)

For the chicken:

1. In a small food processor, puree the yogurt, red onion, lime juice and cilantro to make a yogurt marinade.

2. Transfer the marinade to a shallow bowl or a plastic bag. Add the chicken and coat well with the marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

3. Preheat the grill to medium-high.

4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the remaining marinade and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken on both sides until it is cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.

5. Serve the chicken with tomato-avocado salsa.

Thanks to my sweet friend, Holly Hixon, for sharing this recipe.

3 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 Tbs grapeseed or vegetable oil
1 Tbs sugar
2 large, firm, ripe mangoes (2Lbs total)
2 medium, firm, ripe avocados (1 Lb total)
2/3 C each, thinly sliced green onion and chopped cilantro
1 Tbs minced fresh, hot, red or green chile (or 1/2 tsp dried red chile flakes)
1Lb (70-110 per Lb) peeled cooked shrimp

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil and sugar until sugar dissolves.

Dice mangoes and avocados into 3/4-inch cubes; add to bowl. Add green onion, cilantro, chile, and shrimp. Mix gently. Serve or cover and chill for up to 1 hour.

Makes 4 servings, 6 Points

Ingredients:
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 cups broccoli florets
1 medium carrot, sliced on the diagonal
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

To Make:
With a sharp knife, cut the pork into 1 1/2″ x 1/4″ strips and place in a bowl. Add the soy sauce, sherry, and cornstarch; toss to combine.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, carrot, and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove to a plate. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute more.

Stir in the pork and cook for 4 minutes, or until the pork is no longer pink. Add the broccoli mixture to the pan and toss for 1 minute. Add the orange juice and hoisin sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 1 minute more, stirring to coat, until the mixture thickens slightly.

Per serving: 267 calories, 16 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 10 g total fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 3 g dietary fiber, 580 mg sodium

Contributed by: NewsUSA

Cook Simply for the Two of You

With eggs in the fridge, it’s easy to add a welcome change of pace to your menus. Eggs can also help you include more vegetables in your diet, as the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend. Quiche in Pepper Pots is a good example of an entree that combines egg protein with the vitamins, minerals and fiber of veggies.

These novel individual quiches are easy on the cook, too. Simply choose any colorful vegetable blend you like to fill the peppers, pour on an egg-and-milk custard and bake. Got company coming? Then just multiply the recipe to suit the number of servings you need.

For fast, nutritious eating other times, you can use the remaining eggs you have on hand in a variety of ways. Toss slices or wedges of hard-cooked eggs with greens and other veggies for a main-dish salad; poach eggs right in your favorite soup; reheat leftover pasta and veggies and pour on eggs to make a skillet scramble; or visit www.aeb.org for other simple, satisfying recipe ideas.

Ingredients:
2 medium (about 4 oz. each) green, yellow or sweet red peppers
1/2 cup (about 8 oz.) frozen vegetable blend, thawed
2 eggs
1/4 cup skim or low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed

Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Sawtooth or scallop pepper edges, if desired. Stand peppers upright in custard cups or muffin-pan cups. Spoon 1/4 cup of the vegetables into each pepper. In small bowl, beat together eggs, milk and seasonings until well blended. Pour about 1/3 cup of the egg mixture over vegetables in each pepper.

Bake in preheated 325 degree F oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 2 Servings
Nutritional Information: Per Serving (1/2 recipe using green and yellow peppers; broccoli, sweet red pepper, mushroom and onion vegetable blend; and skim milk): 119 calories, 5 gm total fat, 213 mg cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, 283 mg potassium, 10 gm carbohydrate, 9 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A, B12 and C, riboflavin, phosphorus

1 (16 ounce) can vegetarian refried beans

1 (16 ounce) can sweet potatoes, mashed

3/4 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

3 tablespoons minced onions

2 mild jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon (pinch)

24 small white corn tortillas (approximately 6 to 7 inches across)

Combine refried beans, mashed sweet potatoes, shredded cheese, minced onion, minced chiles and spices and mix well.

Heat tortillas one at a time very briefly (just a few seconds or so) in frying pan with no oil to soften and then move to a basket or tortilla keeper lined with a damp towel to keep soft until you are ready to use.

Place a large Tablespoon or so (when rolled up, each one is about 1 inch wide) of mixture in center of each small tortilla (Filling should not come too close to the ends, or it will fall out).

Roll up tortilla around bean/sweet potato mixture and secure with a wooden toothpick.

Fry in Canola oil one or two at a time for 3 to 5 minutes each until golden brown and crisp.

Drain on paper toweling for a few moments before serving.

Serve with your favorite salsa and sour cream or guacamole.

These can be frozen and reheated on a baking sheet in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

2 medium zucchini, chopped (about 1-3/4 cups)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium microwave-safe bowl and stir well. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Serve on grilled hot dogs. Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 2 minutes  Chill time: at least 30 minutes Makes about 1 cup.

Nutrition Per Serving: (based on a 2-tbsp. serving): 5 calories, 0 g protein, 0 g total fat (0 g sat.), 1 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 0 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium, <1 point